PARKING METERS

Raleigh City Code pt. 11, ch. 2, art. K

in effect

Raleigh City Code § 11-2200 PENALTIES.

Sec. 11-2200. - PENALTIES. All offenses set out in Article K of this chapter shall be punished as civil offenses pursuant to G.S. 160A-175. Violations shall not be misdemeanors or infractions pursuant to G.S. 14-4. (Ord. No. 1986-774, §5, 4-15-86; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2201 DEFINITIONS.

Sec. 11-2201. - DEFINITIONS. (a) As used in this article, the following definitions apply: (1) Activation or activate shall mean actuating or activating the timing mechanism or functions of a parking meter using authorized methods of payment provided for in this article. (2) Application shall mean written requests for a parking permit in a format, whether it be physical or digital, as authorized by the City. (3) Director shall mean the City's Transportation Director or the Director's designee. (4) Immobilization device shall mean those devices and equipment authorized by the City, including, but not limited to, immobilization devices, that are intended to physically immobilize a vehicle because of applicable parking violations as set out in this article. (5) Metered parking spaces or zones shall mean those parking spaces or zones on City streets, in City-owned parking decks and garages where vehicle parking is limited in time by the use of City authorized parking control devices, such as 'parking meters or pay stations. (6) Operator shall mean every individual who operates a vehicle as the owner thereof, or as the agent, employee or permittee of the owner, or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. (7) Parking meter space shall mean any time-regulated parking space within a parking meter zone that is duly designated for the parking of a single vehicle by lines painted or otherwise durably marked on the curb or on the surface of the street, or as designated by the parking meter when no such lines or painted markings are present. (8) Parking meter zone shall mean and include any restricted street upon which parking meters are installed and in operation. (9) Pay station shall mean a type of parking meter that is electronic and regulates parking space time limits upon activation on City streets, City-owned parking decks and garages, and manages multiple parking spaces. (Code 1959, §21-44; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2202 PARKING METER ZONES.

Sec. 11-2202. - PARKING METER ZONES. Parking meter zones are the named and described areas, streets, or portions of streets designated by official Traffic Schedule No. 20, "Parking meter Zones," hereby incorporated by reference into this Code, which shall comprise the parking meter zones of the City. The installation and operation of parking meters, the enforcement of parking time limits, and other provisions of this article shall be in accordance with Traffic Schedule No. 20, "Parking meter Zones" and the City's Fee Schedule. (Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2203 INSTALLATION OF PARKING METERS.

Sec. 11-2203. - INSTALLATION OF PARKING METERS. In the parking meter zones, the City Manager or Manager's designee shall cause parking meters to be installed upon the curb or sidewalk in the reasonable vicinity to the parking spaces or within parking zones as provided in this article, and the Director shall be responsible for the regulation, control, operation, maintenance and use of such parking meters. Each device shall be so set as to display a signal showing legal parking upon parking meter activation for the period of time prescribed by this article. Each device shall be so arranged that upon the expiration of the lawful time limit it will indicate by a proper visible signal that the lawful parking period has expired and in such cases the right of such vehicle to occupy such space shall cease and the operator, owner, or possessor thereof shall be subject to the penalties hereinafter provided. (Code 1959, §21-46; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2204 OPERATION OF PARKING METERS.

Sec. 11-2204. - OPERATION OF PARKING METERS. (a) Except in a period of emergency determined by an officer of the Fire or Police Department, or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic-control sign or signal, when any vehicle shall be parked in any time-regulated parking space, the operator of such vehicle shall, upon entering the parking meter space, immediately activate such meter as is designated by proper directions on the meter and authorized in this article and failure to activate the meter as authorized in this article when so required shall constitute a violation of this article. (b) Upon parking meter activation, the parking space may be lawfully occupied by the vehicle during the period of time which has been prescribed for the part of the street in which the parking space is located, provided that any person placing a vehicle in a parking meter space adjacent to a meter which indicates that unused time has been left in the meter by a previous occupant of the space shall not be required to activate such meter so long as his occupancy of the space does not exceed the indicated unused parking time. If the vehicle shall remain parked in any parking space beyond the parking time limit set for the parking space, and if the meter shall indicate illegal parking, then, and in that event the vehicle shall be considered as parking overtime and beyond the period of legal parking time and such parking shall be deemed a violation of this article. (Code 1959, §21-47; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2205 PARKING TIME LIMITS AND FEES.

Sec. 11-2205. - PARKING TIME LIMITS AND FEES. The maximum time limits and periods that a vehicle may occupy each metered zone are stated in the City's Traffic Schedule No. 20, Parking meter Zones. The fees and rates for a vehicle occupying such a zone are as set out in the City of Raleigh Fee Schedule. Except for those qualifying vehicles designated in G.S. § 20-37.6, no vehicle may be parked in a metered zone for more than the time limit designated for that zone even if payment is made to park in the zone for more than the time limit. (Code 1959, §21-48(a)—(d); Ord. No. 1989-427, §1, 9-5-89; Ord. No. 2004-666A, §§9—12, 6-29-04; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2206 METER ZONES; PERIOD OF OPERATION.

Sec. 11-2206. - METER ZONES; PERIOD OF OPERATION. Parking meters shall be operated in parking meter zones pursuant to the time periods designated for such zones as indicated in Traffic Schedule No. 20., except Sundays, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (third Monday in January), and Christmas Day. (Code 1959, §21-48(f); Ord. No. 1987-954, §1, 4-7-87; Ord. No. 2006-998, §2, 4-18-06; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2207 EXCEPTIONS TO PARKING TIME LIMITATIONS AND TO REQUIRED ACTIVATION OF PARKING METERS; PARKING SPACE ENCUMBRANCE.

Sec. 11-2207. - EXCEPTIONS TO PARKING TIME LIMITATIONS AND TO REQUIRED ACTIVATION OF PARKING METERS; PARKING SPACE ENCUMBRANCE. (a) When parking or loading on the streets of the City is prohibited for longer than the time limits stated in this chapter and/or when parking is permitted in metered parking spaces only when the operator of a vehicle, upon entering the parking meter space, immediately activates or causes to be activated the timing mechanism on the meter in accordance with this chapter, the operator of a motor vehicle or other person may park on or otherwise encumber the parking areas or metered spaces or loading zones on the streets of the City for periods of time longer than otherwise permitted by this chapter and without activating any parking meter or meters when the following conditions have been satisfied and when a permit has been issued for the encumbrance of a parking area. (b) Upon application to and approval of the City Manager, any of the following persons may obtain a permit at no charge for the encumbrance of a parking space or spaces by the placement of standard traffic type signs, barricades, or cones in metered or unmetered spaces that do not impede the flow of traffic or cause a safety hazard: (1) Persons requiring temporary parking space immediately adjacent to residential, commercial or industrial buildings for loading or unloading of building or office equipment or personal property and who satisfy the review agent that the use of the parking spaces is necessary in order to move the equipment or property. (2) Persons having a permit from the Director in connection with any building construction or demolition project that will take thirty (30) or fewer calendar days to complete and who satisfy the review agent that the use of the parking spaces is necessary to the completion of the project. Projects that will take longer than thirty (30) calendar days to complete may be allocated street space provided that a permit is procured for the space or spaces needed. The per space per day fee for any such permit shall be set by the City Manager or Manager's designee and shall be an amount equal to the highest daily parking rate for all City parking decks, garages, and surface lots. The fee shall be paid in advance for the estimated time for the completion of the work. Any work done beyond the initial estimate will be paid for at the completion of the project. The City reserves the right to rescind any such permit and will refund any overpayment of the fee if the permit is rescinded. (3) Persons having a permit from the Development Services Department to perform any plumbing, electrical, heating, sign-hanging or other project in any public way or on premises adjacent to any street, alley, or sidewalk, and who satisfy the review agent that the use of the parking space(s) is necessary to facilitate the project. (4) Persons engaged in any public improvement under contract with the City or engaged in any work under the supervision of the Director, who have a certification from the City Manager or Manager's designee that the use of the parking spaces is necessary to facilitate the project. (5) Representatives of the Wake County Board of Elections, upon request that additional parking is required on an election day at one (1) or more polling places to accommodate voters. (6) Persons who are operating the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Centers as defined in § 9-6001 et seq. of this Code. The City Manager or Manager's designee may set aside parking for such a facility pursuant to this standard on any block face adjoining the facility or on any block face adjoining the block faces immediately adjoining the facility. (7) Persons who are operating hotels, motels, or other places of assembly in the downtown business district may request the temporary reservation of on-street spaces adjoining their facility when the facility is hosting a conference or other meeting which will create a demand for parking which cannot be satisfied by the facility's existing off-street parking. (c) The City Manager or Manager's designee may at any time authorize the reservation of metered or unmetered parking spaces for the purpose of loading and unloading passenger buses. (d) Contractors engaged in the servicing of building equipment limited to electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire alarm, fire pump, and building elevator contractors may apply Transportation Director or designee for a one-day renewable permit to perform such work. There shall be an administrative fee assessed for each permit equal to nine (9) times the current parking meter hourly rate. Such administrative fee shall not apply to contractors performing work to City-owned or leased properties. (e) Movers engaged in moving the contents of a home, office, industrial or other commercial site from one location to another for the continued use of the same party may apply to the City Manager for a one-day renewable permit to encumber one (1) or more parking spaces while completing the work. The fee for this permit shall be the same as the fee for the permit described in subsection. (f) The City Manager or Manager's designee may at any time authorize the reservation of metered or unmetered parking spaces for any event covered under the City Council's Special Event Policy in accordance with the standards set out in that policy. (g) Exemptions: (1) Persons licensed as funeral directors and holding services in any funeral home or churchshall be exempted from making application and receiving permits provided for by this section so long as suitable markings are used to indicate to the public that a funeral is in progress. (2) City Staff engaging in construction and maintenance work in/or adjacent to any public way that have a right-of-way permit for such workshall be exempt from making application and receiving permits provided for by this section so long as suitable markings are used to indicate to the public that such work is being undertaken. (Code 1959, §21-48.1; Ord. No. 1984-452, §1, 12-4-84; Ord. No. 1989-424, §§1—3, 9-5-89; Ord. No. 1992-988, §1, 6-2-92; Ord. No. 2001-56, §1, 7-17-01; Ord. No. 2011-914, §1, 6-21-11; Ord. No. 2014-343, §§2—5, 9-16-14, eff. 9-21-14; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2208 PARKING EXCEPTIONS AND SPACE RESERVATIONS AUTHORIZED BY CITY MANAGER.

Sec. 11-2208. - PARKING EXCEPTIONS AND SPACE RESERVATIONS AUTHORIZED BY CITY MANAGER. The City Manager or Manager's designee shall authorize reservation of parking spaces, but shall not waive the prescribed fees, in circumstances not covered in §11-2207, upon evidence and findings by the Manager or Manager's designee that all of the following exist: (a) The proposed use and necessity of reservation of spaces is of a temporary and not regularly occurring nature; (b) The proposed use and necessity of reservation of spaces is for a lawful purpose; (c) The reservation of spaces will not significantly impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic; (d) The proposed use will not endanger pedestrians, motorists, or occupants of adjacent buildings; (e) The purpose of which reservation of spaces is requested cannot be accomplished otherwise without risk of personal injury or property damage, or without excessive expense; and (f) The proposed use and reservation of spaces will not be injurious to the public peace, health, safety, and welfare. (Code 1959, §21-48.1; Ord. No. 1983-83, §1, 3-15-83; Ord. No. 2014-343, §6, 9-16-14, eff. 9-21-14; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2209 CONTENTS OF APPLICATION; FORM.

Sec. 11-2209. - CONTENTS OF APPLICATION; FORM. The following rules and regulations shall govern the making of the application or the issuance of any permit hereinbefore authorized: (a) Written authorization. The application for a permit shall be made as authorized in §11-2201 of this article, and show the name of the business or applicant's name; the reason for the encumbrance of the parking space or spaces; any certification required by this section; and the location of the proposed activity and the number of spaces desired to be encumbered and the day or dates needed and such other information as may be required by the Transportation Department. (b) Exhibit of permit. In all cases, any permit issued hereunder shall be displayed by the permittee (or his agent) at the location of the parking spaces authorized to be encumbered and shall be exhibited to any officer or employee of the City upon demand. (Code 1959, §21-48.1; Ord. No. 1984-452, §2, 12-4-84; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2210 ISSUANCE OF PERMITS.

Sec. 11-2210. - ISSUANCE OF PERMITS. When the application has been approved by the City Manager or Transportation Department as applicable, a permit will be issued for the date or dates requested; provided, however, that no permit issued hereunder shall be for a period in excess of thirty (30) days, and provided further, nothing herein contained shall prohibit the reapplication and reissuance of permits for successive periods not to exceed thirty (30) days each. The holder of the permit shall be authorized to place traffic type signs, barricades, or cones in conformance with §11-2052 of this Code and the City's current standard and provisions at the metered or unmetered parking spaces to secure or maintain these spaces during the term of the permit. (Code 1959, §21-48.1; Ord. No. 1984-452, §3, 12-4-84; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2211 UNLAWFUL ACTS.

Sec. 11-2211. - UNLAWFUL ACTS. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person other than a person having a valid permit issued under authority of §§11-2207 through 11-2210, his authorized agents, employees or servants to park or stand any vehicle in the street parking space adjacent to any parking meter covered or hooded or in a street parking space in which a traffic cone has been placed; provided that employees of the City Traffic Engineering Department shall be authorized to encumber any area described in §11-2207 for the purpose of the installation or maintenance of any traffic-control devices, such encumbrance to be accomplished by the placement of traffic cones or barricades in such area. (b) It shall be further unlawful for any unauthorized person to cover or hood any parking meter, or to place a traffic cone in any parking space, or to remove, damage or destroy any official parking meter cover, hood or traffic cone of the City, or for any unauthorized person to have in his possession any official parking meter hood or cover, traffic cone, or any other device designed for the encumbrance of parking spaces contrary to the provisions of §§11-2207 through 11-2210. (Code 1959, §21-48.1; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2212 VIOLATIONS.

Sec. 11-2212. - VIOLATIONS. (a) It shall be unlawful and a violation of the provisions of this article for any person: (1) To cause, allow, permit, or suffer a vehicle registered in the name of, or operated by that person, to be stopped, left standing or parked overtime or beyond the period of legal parking time established for any parking meter zone as herein described, or to activate any parking meter for the purpose of parking beyond the maximum legal parking time for the particular parking zone. (2) To cause or allow a vehicle to be stopped, left standing, or parked in a parking meter space while the parking meter for such space is displaying a signal or message indicating that the met r is not active. (3) To stop, leave standing or park any vehicle across any line or marking of a parking meter space or in such position that the vehicle shall not be entirely within the area designated by such lines or markings. (4) To damage, deface, injure, tamper with, open or willfully break, destroy, or impair the functional operation of any parking meter installed under the provisions of this chapter. (5) To deposit, insert or cause to be deposited or inserted into any parking meter any slugs, device, or metal substance, or other substitute for lawful coins, currency or debit or credit card. (b) Each interval of time, equal to the legally allowable parking time in any particular zone, by which a vehicle remains beyond the legal time shall be a separate violation. For example, each hour or part thereof a vehicle remains past the first hour in a one-hour parking zone shall constitute a separate violation. (Code 1959, §21-49; Ord. No. 1981-691, §3, 6-16-81; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2213 ENFORCEMENT.

Sec. 11-2213. - ENFORCEMENT. It shall be the duty of the Police Department and persons designated by the Director of Transportation to enforce the provisions of this article. (Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2214 USE OF PROCEEDS.

Sec. 11-2214. - USE OF PROCEEDS. The proceeds derived from the use of such parking meters shall be used exclusively for the purpose of making such regulation effective and for the expenses incurred by the City in the regulation and limitation of vehicular parking, and traffic relating to such parking, on the streets of the City. (Code 1959, §21-51; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2215 RESERVATION OF POWERS.

Sec. 11-2215. - RESERVATION OF POWERS. Nothing in this article shall be construed as prohibiting the City from providing for zones for transportation uses that may be temporary in nature, which may include, but not be limited to, bus stops, taxicab stands, valet, ride share vehicles, loading or unloading of trucks, vans, or other like modes of transportation. (Code 1959, §21-52; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Raleigh City Code § 11-2216 IMMOBILIZATION OF VEHICLES.

Sec. 11-2216. - IMMOBILIZATION OF VEHICLES. (a) The City Manager or Manager's designee may immobilize by the use of a device or equipment, as provided in this article, and tow and impound any vehicle which is illegally parked in violation of article J or article K of Part 11 of this Code, and for which there are three (3) or more outstanding, unpaid, and overdue parking citations for a period of ninety (90) days. For the purpose of determining whether an illegally parked vehicle has had issued against it three (3) or more outstanding, unpaid, and overdue parking citations for a period of ninety (90) days, it shall be sufficient if the license plate number of the illegally parked vehicle and the license number of the vehicle having received the citations are the same. (b) If an immobilization device is attached to a vehicle, a notice shall be affixed to the driver's side window or other part of the vehicle so as to be readily visible. The notice shall warn that the vehicle has been immobilized and that any attempt to move the vehicle may result in damage to the vehicle. The notice shall also state the total amount of civil penalties due for parking citations which are overdue and unpaid and attributable to such vehicle, and the immobilization fee to be charged. The address and telephone number to be contacted to pay the charges to have the immobilization device removed shall also be listed. (c) If civil penalties due and an immobilization fee as herein provided are not paid, or satisfactory arrangements in lieu of payment are not made, within twenty-four (24) hours of the attachment of the immobilization device, such vehicle may be towed and impounded to any public or private impoundment lot. The vehicle may be towed immediately if an immobilization device is damaged after it is applied or if such device is at risk of imminent damage or illegal removal. If a private contractor tows and stores the vehicle he may impose against the vehicle his customary fees and charges for such services. Once a vehicle has been impounded, the Director shall mail a notice of impoundment to the registered owner and lienholders, if any are known, at the address or addresses reported to the City by the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. (d) Upon payment of all civil penalties and overdue and unpaid parking citations issued for the vehicle and of all other charges authorized by this section, including immobilization, towing, impoundment fees, and repair or replacement of immobilization devices, the vehicle shall be released to the owner or any other person legally entitled to claim possession of the vehicle upon presentation of a valid driver's license. (e) The owner or other person entitled to possession of the vehicle which has been immobilized pursuant to this section may submit a request for hearing to the Director by certified mail or personal delivery within seven (7) days from the receipt of the notice provided for in subsection (c) hereinabove. If a hearing is requested, a statement shall be sent to the requesting party to inform him of the time and place of the hearing, of the basis of the vehicles immobilization and impoundment, of the rules governing conduct of the hearing, of the right to present evidence as to why the vehicle should not have been immobilized or towed, and of the right to be represented by counsel. The hearing officer shall prepare a written report of his findings within three (3) days of the hearing. The report shall state his conclusion as to whether the vehicle was properly immobilized and towed, and the reasons underlying his conclusion. If it is concluded that the vehicle was improperly immobilized or towed, then any improper charges shall be canceled, or if paid, rebated. (f) The City of Raleigh shall not be responsible for any damage to an immobilized illegally parked vehicle resulting from unauthorized attempts to free or move the vehicle. An immobilization fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be charged for the removal of the immobilization device. (g) Unless authorized to do so in writing by the Parking Manager or Manager's designee, it shall be unlawful for any person to: (1) remove or attempt to remove from a vehicle an immobilization device placed thereon pursuant to this section; (2) remove from impoundment any vehicle placed therein pursuant to this section without all civil penalties and applicable charges having first been paid or an approved payment plan having been made; (3) tamper with an immobilization device after it has been installed on a vehicle; (4) remove the immobilization device or the wheel to which it is attached; or (5) tow the vehicle with the immobilization device affixed. (h) A person who violates this subsection (g) above shall pay a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100.00) and the City may also pursue injunctive relief and other equitable remedies against a violator. (i) Any person who knowingly damages an immobilization device after it has been installed on a vehicle shall also pay an additional civil penalty of five hundred fifty dollars ($550.00), in addition to the cost of repair or replacement of any damage immobilization device. (j) The City Manager is authorized to establish guidelines to adjust the amount of civil penalties imposed pursuant to this section to promote the resolution of any claim against persons with ten (10) or more outstanding delinquent parking citations. (Ord. No. 1995-714, §1, 9-5-95; Ord. No. 2019-25, §1, 11-19-19)

Source: City of Raleigh, North Carolina, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/raleigh/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=DIVIICOGEOR_PT11TR_CH2MOVETR_ARTKPAMEFetched: 11/1/2026